Maelstrom
by WithDemonWings
Summary: Follow-up to the Storm. Harry finds out some rather unexpected news. Ron is a prat. Severus is OOC, well actually they probably all are... some bad language and mentioned violence. Drarry and Snupin!


_Not updated, just edited._

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Potion Master and Hogwarts Professor Severus Snape sat in his most favourite chair, it was a beep blue and upholstered in velvet, in front of the a blazing fire. In one hand he held a tumbler of scotch that had been bottled about a hundred years ago in the other he held a photo that had been taken about a hundred years ago. A crumpled parchment with singed edges lay on the table in front of him.

'Has it only been 16 years Lils?' he asked out loud to the photo of the beautiful auburn haired woman with a younger version on himself. 'Why did you wait so long?'

***

'No Albus! I will not shatter his world!' Severus barked the next morning, the exasperation evident in his posture and tone.

'Severus the boy deserves to know that you are is father.' Albus reasoned, on the verge of pleading.

'That's rich coming from you old man. Was there anything you didn't keep from him?' Severus all but snarled because he had long ago passed the town of Sneer.

'Severus,' Albus tried to reprimand the younger wizard but Snape cut him off.

'No Albus not now.' He sighed in resignation, 'after this war is over and we are both still alive then perhaps I will tell the boy that I am his father.' With that Severus stalked out of Albus' office, not noticing the gleeful redhead half hidden behind the door.

****

'Potter!' Weasley shouted down the table the next morning at breakfast loud enough for the whole table and a good portion of the hall to hear.

Harry ignored him.

'Potter, what's it like being a Death Eaters spawn?' he asked, unwilling or unable to hide the vicious glee in his voice. Severus happened to be in the good portion of the hall that could hear Ron and he paled not that anyone would notice.

'I wouldn't know Weasley, my father wasn't a Death Eater.' Harry replied not looking up from the book he was reading.

Ron looked ecstatic, very much like a child that had been let loose in a toy store. 'You mean you don't know? James Potter isn't you real dad!' he stated almost proudly. 'You're mum was probably raped by the greasy bastard.'

Severus tried to stand to stop the little weasel from signing their death warrants but he found himself bound to his chair and silenced. He cursed Albus nine ways to hell and back again only so he could curse him some more.

'I don't know what you're on but you really should find a new dealer because yours clearly are not working right.' He shot back as he packed up his things and finished his breakfast off. Luna and Seamus were whispering furiously to him.

'Aren't you a little bit curious?' Ginny prodded, she was just as keen as Ron to shame Harry, and Ron had told her and Hermione what he'd learned last night.

'No, I'm not Weaselette,' Draco and several others choked on what they had eaten or taken a drink of or just on air. 'If my father was a Death Eater then don't you think that he would've done just about anything he could have to get me to Voldemort.' Harry had a sneer worthy of Severus, but inwardly he was impressed, only about a third if the Great Hall population had flinched at the name. Ron tried to sneer but it looked more like he was constipated as Hermione whispered in his ear.

'Or maybe the greasy bastard doesn't want you because your such a freak,' Seamus and Neville winced. 'A useless, talentless, no good, lazy, arrogant, slut of a freakish faggot.' Ron sat back with a smug smirk.

Severus wanted to close his eyes as he fervently wished that Harry did _not_ believe any of the tripe that came out of Ron.

Harry didn't respond immediately. He had to calm himself and keep his eyes from burning, he didn't do or say anything as he moved to the door.

'Or just maybe my father really is dead,' he shot back as he left the hall.

'I'd be ashamed too if my father was Snape,' Ron commented snidely to the Gryffindors around him. Harry refused to look at anyone as he left afraid of what he would find if he looked. He wanted to look to Snape to either confirm or deny Ron's claim but he was terrified of what he would find, not knowing what he wanted to.

***

By lunch everyone was talking about Harry being Snape's son. There were several versions of Ron's story going around, most made up by Ron, about how he'd overheard the Headmaster and Snape and had only just managed to escape from an enraged Snape and a giant 3 headed dog.

Harry wanted to slam Ron's head against the wall. Repeatedly.

Severus wanted to use the little weasel for potions ingredients. At least they wouldn't find the body.

****

Harry gave a sigh of relief as he sat next to Draco in potions class. It was their last class of the day and was blissfully Ron free. Draco gave Harry a small smile of encouragement.

As soon as the last student sat down Snape billowed into the classroom.

'You have 5 minutes to study the potion on the board. You will work alone without your textbook. If I hear anyone talking you will fail. Use your time wisely.' He began to shuffle through some parchment on his desk. 'I suggest you get started.' He commented offhandedly. Several students, mostly Slytherins and Harry were already heading for the store cupboard. A few were gaping at Snape like he had grown a second head and it was singing show tunes. 'What Miss Granger?' he snapped, his irritation as plain as the nose on his face.

'Do we at least get to know what potion it is that we're brewing?' she asked too politely for Severus' tastes.

'It doesn't matter what the potion is called. I want to find out if you can follow the instructions on the board.'

'But...' clearly Hermione felt that what Professor Snape was doing was unfair.

'I suggest you get started, unless you want to join Mr. Weasley as he scrubs out bed pans.'

Hermione reddened in anger as several students snickered, while the Slytherins outright laughed.

'It's called a pop quiz Granger, get over it.' Draco sneered as he passed her table on his way back to the one he was sharing with Harry.

Hermione scowled her way through class and managed to hand in an abysmal potion.

With about 5 minutes left of class a cauldron exploded, Harry's actually.

'Detention Mr Potter, be at my office at 8. You too Mr Malfoy, don't think I didn't see you sabotage his potion. And 10 points for carelessness on both your parts.'

'Yes sir,' they chorused as he swept up both their samples from the not ruined potions.

Hermione looked significantly more cheerful as she hurried out of the dungeon to find Ron.

***

At 7:58 Harry and Draco stood in front of Snape's office. Draco gave Harry a chaste kiss before he knocked. The door opened of its own accord and Severus lead them to his private chambers behind the office.

They sat in an awkward silence for almost 10 minutes as they sipped at tea, none of them knowing what to say.

'You both know what potion I had your class brew.' Severus broke the silence with his announcement.

'The Paternus Formula,' Harry offered, though he didn't have too.

Snape nodded, 'Both of you made a perfect brew,' his lips quirked upwards for all if a millisecond as he gave a slight nod, 'I am indeed impressed. Especially with you Mr Potter, your ability has improved greatly in the last year alone.'

Draco nodded his thanks, he'd been learning from the man since he was 4 so it was no surprise but Harry looked like he wanted to know who had replaced his teacher with this imposter. 'Thank you sir.' He said softly, 'I find it much easier to brew without a running commentary about Hermione and Malfoy and you constantly in my ear.' He gave the professor a shy smile. Severus visibly softened.

'There was a reason I had you brew this potion.' He offered them both their bottled potions back. 'I have already added my blood.'

'The rumours that Ron started,' Harry stated.

'I thought you would want proof, one way or another,' Severus replied.

'Look,' Harry started as he stood, 'I've gone this long, I think I can manage...' he trailed off has he started for the door. Draco was about to go after Harry when Severus stopped him.

'You shouldn't have to,' Severus pulled the boy into a gentle hug. 'I'm sorry,' he muttered into Harry's mussed hair.

'So it's true?' Harry pulled away slightly.

'I only found out last week, your mother had given a letter to a muggle friend of hers to deliver to me after you 16th birthday.' He replied, hoping that Harry could see it was the truth, 'I wanted to wait until after the war. One less thing for you to have to worry about...'

As Severus and Harry spoke Draco had added his blood to the potion and had gotten the results. His hefty sigh of relief brought the attention of the other two men. He gave Severus a cheeky grin, 'Thank Merlin, I'm not your son!.'

'Oh thank Merlin for small favours.' Severus replied, he turned to Harry holding up his vial. 'Do you want to?'

Harry hesitated.

'It's okay to want proof for something this life alteringly mind blowing.' Draco offered squeezing Harry's hand in encouragement, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Severus.

For a long time Harry and Severus stared at the vial of purple-blue opalescent liquid.

'Oh look at the time,' Draco glanced at the watch he wasn't wearing, 'It's a quarter past that hair, I should go and wax my chest hair or something...' Draco muttered though neither of the other wizards where listening. He gently pecked Harry on the head and slipped out, leaving father and son alone.

'Did you... I mean... was it... did she... what Ron....' Harry could formulate a question but Severus knew what the boy was referring to.

'No it was consensual. She had caught James with Black again. She gave him an ultimatum and she stormed out. She came to me because it was a full moon and Remus was locked in his room. We both got piss drunk and we ended up in bed together.'

'You called him Remus...'' Harry said, awed.

Severus chuckled as he pulled out a photo from drawer, he stared at it fondly as he spoke. 'I did. The next day Remus was so jealous because I had Lily's sent on me. He stalked me for days and Lily finally convinced him to do something.' He handed the photo to Harry. It was of a much younger Severus and Remus. Severus was behind Remus with his arms wrapped around him, Remus was leaning back into Severus and both men seemed to be laughing about something. 'This was taken just before you were born. Before an old man destroyed my life.' Harry could see the sadness in his father.

Suddenly Harry couldn't stand it and Severus found himself with an armload of sobbing babbling Harry.

When Harry managed to calm down some Severus gently pushed him to arms length away, he gently wiped his son's tears, 'I take it you're all right with this?' he asked with a quirk of his lips.

Harry gave an awkward laugh, 'Yeah I don't know if I can call you dad yet...'

'Which is perfectly understandable, how about we start with calling me Severus when we're alone.' He offered. Harry gave him a dazzling smile.

'You're really okay with this?' he asked again, wanting to make sure.

'I spent more time thinking about it then doing actual class work today, I don't really have a choice about whose genetics I share but I accept it. I won't be shouting anything from roof tops or astronomy towers just yet but I'm not against getting to know my father. That is unless of course...' he trailed off not able to bring himself to finish his sentence, his bright smile diminished slightly.

'Of course I do,' he tightened his hold on Harry, 'you are an intelligent, strong, courageous individual and you would make any parent proud.'

'Really?' Harry asked his disbelief warring with his relief.

Really Harrison,' He reached over and retrieved a parchment from the table and signed it with flourish before handing it to Harry. It was a birth certificate that names Lily Evans and Severus Snape the parents of one Harrison Evan Snape.

That night after a long chat about everything and anything Harry crashed on the couch in Severus' living room.

***

The next morning they sat over a quiet breakfast in Severus' chambers.

'I'm not complaining, but you accepted this rather quickly.' Severus observed.

Harry gave a half smile and blushed faintly, 'it's not every day you find out that one of the few men that you hold in the highest respect is your father.' He replied. 'For what it's worth I am sorry about looking in your memories last year. I just thought... well I was kept in the dark about so much...'

You are forgiven, I may have over reacted a touch when I found you.'

'You think?' he asked sarcasm coloured with amusement.

'Brat,' Severus gave him a half hearted glare.

'Git,' Harry gave Severus a cheeky grin, then he turned serious, 'I've seen what he does to you and for you not to have snapped takes strength that few men have.'

Severus gave his son an affectionate shove, 'still pants at Occulemency I take it.'

'Yeah well my teacher was something of a bastard.' Harry replied, mockingly serious.

Severus shoved Harry to the door, 'get to class brat.' Harry's laughter echoed down the hall.

Three days later, during a resumed Occulemency lesson, Voldemort summoned Severus.

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The next part should be up. You wanna read the one called _Darkness_ now. Enjoy!


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